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(No Model. Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.,

H. M. JONES.

FIRE E$GAPE.

'ented Oct. 28, 1888.

WITNESSES: IIVVEIYTORI ATTORNEY.

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HENRY M. JONES, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES A. BENKELMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

FERE ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,536, dated October 23, 1888.

Application filed November 22, 1887. Serial No. 255,938. (No model.)

To alZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY M. JONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Oolorado,have invented a new and useful Fire- Escape, of which the following, taken in connection with the drawings forming part hereof, is a specification.

My invention relates to fire-escapes to be placed at or near windows or other openings in a building in order to afford the occupants thereof a means of egress and escape from such building whenever the ordinary means of egress are cut off or rendered impassable; and its object is to furnish such an escape, simple yet strong in construction, easily and readily operated, and reliable in operation, ready for use at all times; one, also, in which the tendency to increased momentum on the part of a descending body or weight is neutralized and counteracted, so that a comparatively uniform and safe rate of descent may be insured, and one also in which, when relieved of the load at the end of its descent, shall return immediately and automatically to its initial or starting point for another load; and to these ends it consists in the features and combinations more particularly hereinafter described and claimed.

In the practice and use of my invention a shaft is journaled at its ends in suitable bearings in the sides of a window, door, or other frame, .upon or near the center of which shaft a drum or pulley is secured, so as to rotate therewith, a rope or cord being wound upon the drum or pulley of sufficient length to reach from the window or door to the ground beneath, or to any other safe landing'plaoe. For strength, lightness, and durability combined, this rope or cord is preferably made of galvanized wire. The shaft is screw-threaded, the threads on either side of the central drum being in reverse directions to each other, and so cut that as the drum and shaft are revolved by the unwinding of the cord or rope from the drumas by the descent of a body or weight attached to the free end of the cord-the threads may carry a nut or other object seated in the threads upon the shaft away from the drum and toward the side of the casing or frame. Upon either side of the drum is fixed a helical spring, which springs have their outer ends secured to some exterior fixed support, while their inner ends are secured to the shaft. Beyond these helical springs are arranged coiled springs surrounding the shaft-one on each side of the drum. The inner ends of these springs are contracted, and a portion of the wire thereof may be seated in the threads of the screw, so that on rotation of the shaft by the unwinding ofthe rope they are compressed. At either end of the shaft and adjacent to the sides of the framing a leaf-spring is secured. Upon and by their outer sides these springs are secured to the sides of the framing, while their inner sides are centrally perforated, the shaft passing through such perforations, at which points nuts seated upon theshaft and meshing with the threads thereon aresecured. The coiled springs just hereinbefore referred to may surround the shaft in the spaces between the sides or leaves of these last-named springs, in which case they would be compressed by the leaf-springs on their compres sion and without any direct connection to the shaft, as hereinbefore described. In such an organization it will be seen as the cord or rope is unwound from the drum by the descent of a weight or body attached thereto the coiled and leaf springs are compressed and the helical springs wound up, the tension of the springs increasing with the increased descent, this increased tension neutralizing the tendency to increased momentum due to the increased descent of the descending body. When such descending body is released from the rope, this tension of the springs serves also upon recoil to rewind the rope upon the drum and return it to its starting or initial point for further use from that point.

A spring-brake is arranged to pass over and bear upon a flat or land on one edge of the drum, a lanyard or cord depending therefrom alongside the main or carrying rope, so that a person descending can further regulate the descent or stop the descent entirely at any de sired point. From the drum the rope or cord preferably should pass over a pulley j ournaled in or on an arm extending outward sufficiently to cause the rope and its attached burden to swing and descend clear of the face of the building. For-ordinary buildings, residences,

8tc., a chair or seat may be secured to the free or descending end of the rope, and straps may be attached to such chair or seat, so that timid or weak persons may be securely fastened therein and then safely lowered. For factories and buildings containing a large number of occupants, the escape may be arranged in a doorway and a car or cage capable of containitlilga number of people be substituted for the 0 air.

The construction and arrangement thus generally described may be better understood by reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front plan view of the principal parts of my improved fireescape, and Fig. 2 is a side View thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on line 0000, Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the reference-numerals 1 1 indicate a window, door, or other frame, in which the main operative parts of the escape are secured.

2 is a shaft journaled and capable of rotation in suitable bearings in the sides of the frame 1 1. Upon this shaft 2 is secured a drum, 3, to which is secured the inner end of a rope or cord, 4, which is wound thereupon, the rope being of suitable length to reach from the rotation of the escape to the ground or other place of safety. The shaft 2 is screw-threaded, as shown, the threads on each side of the dru m 3 being reversed relatively to each other.

5 5 are two helical springs, one on either side of the drum, and whose outer ends are fastened to the bar 9, extending from side to side of the framing, while their inner ends are secured to the shaft 2.

7 7 are leaf-springs one at either end of the shaftthe outer sides or leaves of these springs resting against and being secured to the sides of the framing. The inner leaves are perforated, and at the perforations nuts 8 8 are secured to the leaves, the shaft passing through such nuts, which are threaded to engage with the threads on the shaft. Around the shaft and within the spaces between theleaves of the springs 7 7 are coiled springs 6 6, which may have their inner ends contracted and the ends of the wires thereat seated in the threads upon the shaft, so that they are compressed or loosened by the rotation of the shaft in one direction or the other; or they may extend from side to side of the leaf-springs and be compressed by them as they are compressed. A springbrake, 10, has one end secured to the transverse bar 9, whence it passes over the drum, being adapted and arranged to take and bear upon a land, 15, on the edge thereof. From the free end of 10 a cord or lanyard, 11, depends.

The devices thus illustrated and described being located in a frame fixed in the wall of a building, it is preferable that some device should be used therewith to cause the rope and any attached body to swing clear of the wall in descending. To this end, apu1ley,12, is journaled on or in an arm, 16, which projects sufficiently beyond the line of the building. This arm 16 may be pivotally secured to the upper portion of the frame, so as to be swung inwardly when not in use, yet ready to be swung outwardly into operative position when desired. The rope 4 passes over this pulley, as shown in Fig. 2. For buildings containing comparatively few occupants a chair, 13, is attached to the free end of rope 4, to which chair one or more straps,14., are affixed, by which an occupant can be safely secured in the chair. In the case of factories and buildings, however, containing a large number of occupants, greater security may be attained, however, by arranging the escape in a doorframe and substituting for the chair 13 a cage or box capable of carrying several people at once.

From this description the operation of my improved fire-escape may be readily understood. A body or weight being deposited in the chair or attached to the rope, the latter is permitted to descend, unwinding from the drum and causing the latter and the shaft to rotate, winding up the springs 5 5 and com pressing the springs 6 6 7 7, the tension of the springs increasing with the continued descent of the body or weight. When the latter is removed from the rope, the springs, in recovering their equilibrium, rotate the shaft and drum in the opposite direction, winding the rope again on 3 and hringingit back ready for another trip and load.

While the three different kinds of springs are herein shown, it is evident that for a short descent only one or two thereof might be necessary, the main principle being that sufficient spring-power shall be used to overcome in whole or in part the tendency to increased momentum on the part of the descending body with increased fall or descent and to cause the return of the rope to its initial or starting point.

Thus constructed the objects of my invention are fully attained, and a simple, cheap, durable, yet effective fire-escape furnished.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. The combination, in a fire'escape, of a shaft, a drum secured thereon and carrying a rope or cord, helically-coiled springs arranged to be wound up by the unwinding of the rope from the drum, and springs arranged to be compressed thereby, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a fire-escape, of a shaft having its ends screw threaded, the

threads on one end being reversed as to those on the other end, a drum. secured thereto and carrying a rope, helically-coiled springs ar ranged to be wound up by the unwinding of the rope, coiled springs surrounding the shaft, and leaf-springs at either end thereof,both the latter sets of springs being compressed by the unwinding of the rope, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a fire-escape, of a threaded shaft, a drum secured thereon and carrying a rope, helical springs wound up by the unwinding of the rope, leaf-springs pro 10 the unwinding thereof and consequent rotation of the shaft,and an arm projecting from the frame or casing and carrying a pulley, over which the rope is passed and by which it is projected beyond the face of the wall or building, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my hand and seal this 20th day of October,

HENRY M. JONES. \Vitnesses':

B. L. POLLOOK, ALFRED O. PHELPS. 

